Vacuum-operated gear shifter



Oct. 29, 1929. D. F. LlNSLEY 1,733,502

VACUUM OPERATED GEAR SHIFTER Filed Jan. 20, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Patented Oct. 29, 1929 UNITED ST T PATENT- OFFICE DOUGLAS 1. LINSLEY, OF STBATIOBD, OONNEC'IICUT, ASSIGNOB OI ONE-THIRD TO FRANK J. LINSLEY, NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT, G. WYANT, OF OWENSHOUTH, CALIFORNIA AND ONE-THIRD TO GEORGE vacuun-orsna'rnn emu. snrrrm Application filed January 20, 1828. Serial No. 848,214.

This invention relates to an improvement in vacuum-operated gear-shifters primarily designed for shifting the transmission-gears of automobiles, though not so limited.

The object of this invention is to produce a simple and reliable vacuum-operated gear-.

shifter constructed with particular reference to improved means for automatically admitting atmospheric-air into the vacuum-compartments thereof when suction is applied to a complementary compartment.

With this object in view, my invention consists in a vacuum-operated gear-shifter characterized by its provision with two complementary suction-compartments adapted to be alternately connected to a source of vacuum; a gear-shifter member actuated in reverse directions by the application of suction to the said compartments respectively; two atmospheric-air inlet-ports respectively opening into the said compartments; two suction-operated valves normally closing the said ports res ectively; a valve-chamber for each of the said valves; and a duct extending from each of the said compartments to the valve-chamber of the valve controlling the port in the opposite compartment; whereby,

when the source of suctlon is connected to one compartment to move the said gearshifting member, the inlet-port in the opposite complementary eompartment will be automatically opened to permit the ingress of atmospheric-air thereinto.

My invention further consists in a vacuumoperated gear-shifter characterized as above and having certain other details of construction and combinations of parts as will be hereinafter described and particularly recited in the claims.

' In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a top or plan view of a vacuumoperated gear-shifter constructed in accordance with my invention, the selector-valve mechanism being shown in horizontal section;

Fig. 2 is a view thereof in end elevation with a portion of the casing'broken away and the selector-valve in vertical section;

Fi 3 is a lon 'tudinal sectional view on the hue 3--3 of ig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is a schematicv sectional view of my improved vacuum-operated gear-shifter showing, in particular, the ducts connecting each suction-compartment with the valvechamber of the valve controlling the entry of atmospheric-air into its complementary compartment.

In carrying out my invention as herein shown, I employ a cylinder-block bored out to form two parallel cylinders 11 and 12, both of which are closed at one end by walls 13 formed integral with the said cylinderblock and at their opposite ends closed by a removable cylinder-head 14.

The cylinder 11 receives within it a piston 15 which virtually divides it into two suctioncompartments 16 and; 17 which, for conven-' ience of description, I shall designate, respectively, as the first-speed suction-compartment and the reverse-speed suction-compartment. The said piston consists of 8. flexible washer-like packing-member 18 clamped enterin the cylinder 11 between the surfaces of the arings 25 and 26 aforesaidand the respective ends of the piston-rod 24; I employ two packin -washers 27 and 28 respectively secured to t e wall 13 and, cylinder-head 14 by plates 29 and screws 30.

Similarly, the cylinder 12 receives within it a piston 31 which virtually divides it into two suction-compartments 32 and 33, respectivel constituting the thirdand secondspeed suction-compartments of my improved vacuum-operated gear-shifter. The saidpisten 31 corresponds in details of construction to the piston 15 before described and, like the latter, is mounted upon a piston-rod 34 slidaving packing-washers,

ing in bearings and 2o therefromrespectively to the outer face of shown) of an'automobile for the purpose of- -moving the various gears therein into and out of mesh in the same'mani er as the same are ordinarily operated by means of the customary manual shift-lever.

The suction-compartments. 16, 17, 32, and 33 have respectively connected to them suction-ducts 37, 38, 39, and, 40 which lead through to the outer face of a valve-seat member 41 secured to one side of the cylinderblock 10. Midway the length of the cylinders 11 and 12 suction-ducts 42 and 43 lead the valve-seat member 41 aforesaid.

For the purpose of connecting a main suction-pipe 44 leading to the valve-seat member 41 from the intake-manifold of an automobile, or other suitable source of suction, to any one or more of the ducts 37, 38, 40, 42, and 43 to appropriately actuate the pistons and thus effect the shifting of gears, I employ a reciprocatin selector-valve slide 45 provided, in its inner face, with irregularlyshaped channels 46,. and pressed snugly against the outer face of the valve-seat member 41 by means of a sprin 47 acting throu h a click-ball 48 and spac -notches'49 in t e said'valve-slide 45.

The particular nature and arrangement of the selector-valve and ducts abovc described form, in themselves, no partof my present invention and require no detailed description other than to say that the re c'iprocating selector-valve slide 45 is adapted to connect the main suction-pipe 44 to the respective ducts of the suction-compartments 16-17, 3233 of the cylinders 11 and 12"in the manner hereinafter described.

For the urpose of admitting atmosphericair into t e suction-compartments, 1617*, 32'33 under certain conditions as will hereinafter appear, each of the same has leading into it from the atmosphere an atmosphericair inlet-port 50'normally closed by a tapered Y piston-valve 51 havin' its outer end sha ed to form a hollow cylinder 52 reciprocating within apiston-chamber 5,3, the inner end of which intersects. the said port 50 and is formed with a beveled valve-seat 54 engaged by the tapered inner face of the valve 51 aforesaid. A helical spring 54 niirmally maintains the valve 51- in engagement with the seat 54 to prevent the ingress of atmospheric-air through the port 50.

Thus, as shown anddescribed, each of the suction-compartments 1617, 32-33, has leading into it an atmospheric-air inlet-port 50 normally closed by a valve 51, which latter is adapted, as will now appear, to be automatically drawn off its seat 54 when a partial vacuum is created in a complementary suction-compartment. For this latter pur ose, the outer end of the piston-chamber 53 o the valve 51 controlling the port 50 leading into the suction-compartment 16 is connected by a duct 55 leading to the complementary suction-compartment 17. Similarly, the outer end of the piston-chamber 53 of the valve 51 controlling the port 50 leading into the suction-compartment 17 is connected by a duct 56 to the suction-compartment 16. In a like manner, the outer end of the pistonchamber 53 of the valve 51 controlling the port 50 leading into the suction-compartment 32 in the cylinder 12 is connected by a duct 57 to the complementary suction-compartment 33 in the said cylinder. Conversel the outer controlling the port 50 leading into the suction-compartment 33 is connected by a duct 58 to the suction-compartment 32 aforesaid. When it is desired to shift the gears of an automobileinto what is comomnly known as first-speed, the reciprocating selector-valve slide 45will be moved by means of a flexible wire 59 secured to it by a set-screw 60, so as to cause'its irregular channels 46 to connect the duct 37 leading to the low-speed suctionchamber 16, and the neutral duct 43 leading to the center of the cylinder 12, with the main suction-pipe 44. With the suction-connection made as just described, thepiston 31 will be drawn by suction to its central osition within the cylinder 12, as shown in ig. 4 (if it is not already at this point), to shift the second and third-speed gears which it operates into their neutral position. Concurrently, a partial vacuum will be created in the low-speed suction-compartment 16 with the effect of movmgI the piston 15 from ri ht to left and throug its piston-rod 24 and .gear-shiftin arm correspondingly move the first-speed gear into operative position.

It is obvious that the partial vacuum created within the suction-compartment 16 cannot act permissively to move the iston 15, together with its rod 24, froin rig t to left as above described unless atmospheric-air is admitted into the opposite complementary suction-compartment 17 The admittance of the required atmospheric-air, as above indicated, into the suction-compartment 17 is automatically effected by the suction in the compartment 16 which, through the ,duct 56, acts to create a partial vacuum in the pistonchamber 53 of the valve 51 controlling the atmospheric-air inlet-port 50 of the said compartment 17 with the effect of moving the I 50 in question.

red rocating transversely in a suitable guide in t e cylinder-head 14 and extendin between the piston-rods 24 and 34,which E). are each provided with a notch 62 adapted to receive the rounded adjacent ends 63 of the said bar. By reference to Fig. 4 of the drawings, it will be seen that suction cannot act to move the iston-rod 34 in either direc- "tion until the piston-rod 24 has been moved to its central position, at which time its notch 62 will be brought into registration with the drift-lock rod 61, permitting the same to move into the said notch concurrently with the withdrawal of its opposite end from the corresponding notch in the piston-rod 34. It will thus appear that neither one of the piston-r0 can be moved from its neutral position until the other complementary piston-rod is in its neutral position.

When a partial vacuum is created within the suction-compartment 17 by suitably moving the selector-valve slide so as to connect its duct 38 with the main suction-pipe 44, the valve 51 cont-rolling the atmospheric-air inlet-port into the com lementary suction- I compartment 16 will be rawn of! its seat by the suction transmitted through the duct-55 and atmospheric-air permitted to enter the said com artment 16 for moving the piston, '15 and piston-rod 24 from left to right into" the position shown by Fig. 4 of the drawings.

In a like manner, when suction is created within either of the compartments 32 or 33 of the cylinder 12, the valve normally closing the atmospheric-air inlet-port of the other of the two compartments will be drawn ofi its seat and atmospheric-air permitted to enter to move the piston 31 and piston-rod 34.

I claim: I 1. A vacuum-operated gear-shifter, comprising two vacuum-compartments adapted to be alternately connected to a source of vacuum; a gear-shifting memberactuated in reverse directions by the application of suction to the said-compartments respectivel two atmospheric-air inlet-ports respective y opening into the said com artm'ents; two mdependentl -movable suction-operated valves osing the said ports respectively and constructed and arranged to be moved into their port-opening sitions by suction; a valve-chamber for eac ofsaid valves; and a duct extending from each of the said compartments to the valve-chamber of thevalve controllingthe port in the opposite compartment; whereby, when a source of suction is connected to one compartment to move the said gear-shifting-member, the inlet port in the opposite compartment will be automatitter' and construe cally opened to rmit the ingress of atmospheric-alr thereinto without admitting such air into the compartment under suction.

2. A vacuum-operated gear-shifter, comprising two vacuum-compartments adapted to be alternately connected to a source of vacuum; a gear-shifting member actuated in reverse directions by the application of suction to the said compartments respectively; two atmospheric-air inlet-ports respectively opening into the said com artments; two independently movable reciprocating suctionoperated piston-valves normally closing the said ports respectively and constructed and arranged to be moved into. their port-opening positions by suction; a valve-cylinder ,for each of the said valves; and a duct extending from each of the said compartments to the valve-cylinder of the valve controlling the port in the opposite compartment; whereby, when a source of suction is connected to one compartment to move the said gear-shifting member, the inlet-port in the opposite compartment will be automatically opened to rmit the ingress of atmospheric air thereinto without admitting such air into the compartment under suction. v

3. A vacuum-operated gear-shifter, comprising two vacuum-compartments adapted to be alternately connected to a source of vacuum; a gear-shifting member actuated in reverse directions by the application of suction to the said compartments respectively; two atmospheric-air inlet-ports respectively opening into the said compartments; two independentl -movable suction-operated valves normally 0 osin the said ports respectively and constructe and arranged to be moved into their port-opening pos tions by suction; spring-means arrange to yield ngly urge the said valves into their port-closmg sitions; a valve-chamber for-each of the said valves; and a duct extending from each-of the'said compartments to the valve-chamber of the valve controlling the port in the opposite com artment; whereby, when a source of suction is connected to one compartmenhto move the said gear-shifting member, the inlet-port in the opposite compartment will be automatically opened to permit the in ess of atmospheric-air thereinto without a 1tting such air into the compartment under suction.

4. A vacuum-operated gear-shifter, comrising a c linder a piston therein virtually 'viding t e same into two compartments;

two atmospheric-air inlet-ports respectively opening into the said com artments; two independentl -movable suction-operated valves normally c osin the said ports respectively and arranged to be moved mto their port-opening tions b suction; a valve-chamber'for sac of the-said valves and a duct extending from each of the said compartments to the valve-chamber of the valve controlling the port in the opposite compartment; whereby, when a. source of suctlon is connected to onecompartment to move the said piston, the inlet-port inthe opposite compartment will be automatically opened to permit the air thereinto withouta 'tting such air into the {compartment under suction. 5. A vacuum-operated gear-shifter, comprising a c linder; a piston therein virtually dividing t e same into two compartments; two atmospheric-air inlet-ports respectively opening into the outer ends of the said compartments; two independently-movable re ciprocating suction-operated piston-valves normally closing the said ports respectively and constructed and arranged to be moved into their port-openin positions by suction; spring means arrange to yieldingly urge the said valves into'thelr port-closing positions; a valve-cylinder for each' ofthe said valves "arranged substantiall parallel with the axis trolling the of the first-mentione cylinder; and a duct extending from each 0 the said compartments to-the valve-cylinderof the valve conort in the opposite compartment; where y, when a source of suction is connected to one compartment to movethe said piston, the inlet-port in the opposite compartment will be automatically opened to permit the ingress of atmospheric-air thereinto without admitting such air into the compartment under suction.

In testimony whereof; I have signed this specification.

DGUGLAS F. LINSLEY.

indglgiss of atmospheric- 

